Engaging the Future through Inquiry and Learning

Welcome to Jim Marcum's "idea-space"*

These are things on my mind these days:

• What is Information Culture?
• What kinds of “futures” lie in store for libraries? And librarians?
• What is the future of “the book”? And reading?
• Is “engagement” the key to organizational and business—and library— success?
• Why do so many businesses and organizations need to “turnaround”?
• Does ‘North Jersey’ have an identity problem?

*Idea space alludes to the influence of Richard Ogle’s Smart World, a book proposing a New Science of Ideas (Harvard Business School, 2007). The key idea, for me, is that innovative ideas today come primarily from successful exploitation of the “intelligence networks” characterizing the participative network connections enabled by the internet. I am constantly stimulated, challenged, provoked, annoyed, and corrected by the people and discussions I constantly (and inadequately) discover while reading or sitting at my workstation.

While the remarkable accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin stand without parallel, the means of their attainment can be considered more accessible to ordinary people and not necessarily attributable to a special genius. The steady development of Franklin’s knowledge and skills are traced in light of a new model of “dynamic learning,” which is a method that can be followed by many. The method involves reading, writing, collaboration, and active, “hands on” experience. Simple steps are suggested for testing the method in the classroom.

The goal of Finding North Jersey—both the book and the program—is to determine what people love about the region, what they are most proud of. Then, following considerable discussion, to set forth a vision of the future they want to realize, and third, to brand that vital essence of the region to guide the creation of that future with purposeful action involving the people, businesses, associations, and organizations by pursuing that vision. Read more »

What a day we live in; what opportunities it offers our profession. In one view (Robertson) the quantity and dissemination of information in our time ushers in a new, higher level of civilization. He views information as representing civilization, and its explosive growth, spread, and utilization signal a qualitative transformation of the conditions of human life, amounting to no less than a new Renaissance. The impact of the network and the resulting collaboration in work, learning, play, and life is characterized, at its core, by enormously increased connectivity and participation. Whereas my generation assumed they personally must know everything needed for work and life, today’s young people assume such knowledge is not only impossible but unnecessary. Read more »

In a mere 20 years the internet has moved from a high-tech curiosity to a basic element of modern life. It changes how we live, from how we shop, communicate, do business, learn, and, in some cases pray. It has transformed information from a scarcity to a glut, brought the world right into our homes and offices, and become a necessity. To take a few examples, consider the following: Read more »

THE VISION

In the information age the challenge is to break through the information glut to find the useful knowledge, meaningand understanding needed at that moment. University of the Book (UBook) offers an easy path to educational, vocational, civic, or hobbyist knowledge; a path guiding “searchers” to the information they need right now, for work, play, or life. Read more »